Flinch

Sorry, but this movie is not an 8, 9 or a 10. Those reviews must be from people that worked on the movie to bump the ratings. BUT, its a good decent movie, a solid 5. Interesting plot overall, a little slow in the middle, could lose 5-10 minutes. I won't give any spoilers, you don't need to hear anymore than its worth watching. Just know, Its more of a character building movie than action flick. I rate starting at a 5 and move up/down from there - and there is no such thing at a 10. This is a solid 5.5

Flinch is the directorial debut film from Cameron Van Hoy, a story about a hitman who falls in love with a girl who witnessed a murder he commits. I always enjoy a good hitman story and this one is a rollercoaster of excitement and tension from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the cast and seeing some big name actors that I haven't seen in a while. Cathy Moriarty does a really great job at playing this crazy yet sympathetic mother and it's always nice to see David Proval again since I remember him from my favorite show of all time, The Sopranos. The film gives off a cool vibe that is somewhere between the the movies "Drive" and "Good Time". The low lighting paired with the fantastic soundtrack from "Miami Nights 1984", gives this feeling of relaxation yet suspense. It's a very cool mix that brings me back to the John Carpenter vibes we used to get from his 80's films.

Another thing I loved about the film is that just when you think it may be a little too slow, it'll hit you with a great moment filled with a lot of tension. Those big twists were some of the best moments from the film, there were various times where my expectations were subverted and I was itching to see how it would all play out. By the end, the story doesn't disappoint as I sat up in my chair at awe from the big shock of the story. One last thing that I want to say that impressed me was the bloodwork and the gun violence. Some really great techniques used and it elevated the film in my opinion.

Overall, Flinch blew away my expectations and I found myself having a really great time with it. It's a gritty noir centered around romance that calls back to some of the great aspects from 80's/90's action movies. Everyone that worked on this should be proud and I can't wait to see what the director and the lead actors do next.

The really odd thing about this pretty darn good movie is that it actually tries hard to make you uncomfortable and then takes a sharp turn in an expected direction and brings you back. The opening premise -- hit man shows mercy to witness -- is not new, but writer/director Van Hoy really makes it his own. When the hit man picks up the girl like a rag doll and literally "brings her home to mama," you are thinking, boy, is this wrong on so many levels, does the #METOO movement even know about this yet ..? But over the long haul FLINCH succeeds at the single most important thing a film can do. It keeps you from looking away. It keeps you from flinching.

It opens with a man praying in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary. Joe Doyle is a hitman who lives with his mother, played by the scene stealing Cathy Moriarty. She is extremely proud of his efficiency as a hired killer. Joe kills a man, but is witnessed by the man's personal assistant. THis leads to a completely unbelievable story line with the killer examining his conscience the rest of the film. He keeps the woman in his bedroom with mom insisting that he kill the witness. No need to explain where it all leads, as right up to the ending, it is ridiculous. Don't bother with this stupidity.

The characters were very developed and the plot was something I wasn't expecting. New twist, loved it.